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THE BEARS ON HEMLOCK MOUNTAIN

Legend in the making in the form of a sort of regional folk tale with the kind of rhythm and repeat construction small children love. Jonathan was eight, pretty small to be sent over Hemock Mountain to borrow a big iron pot from his aunt on the other side. But he found he had friends in the squirrels and the birds and the rabbits, and all would have been well if he hadn't eaten too many of his aunt's cookies and drunk too much milk and slept too long so that it was dark when he started back with the big iron pot. What he discovered about the bears of Hemlock Mountain makes the climax of a story that is good read aloud material, and that second graders will be able to read to themselves. Helen Sewell's line drawings in black and blue make decorative borders. Her humans are pretty much stock figures but she has a nice feel for the Pennsylvania German decorative art quality.

Pub Date: July 21, 1952

ISBN: 978-0-689-71604-1

Page Count: 68

Publisher: Scribner

Review Posted Online: March 6, 2013

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1952

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BEDTIME FOR BATMAN

From the DC Super Heroes series , Vol. 1

This should send Dark Knight fans flying to the Batcave—or the bedroom.

Holy bedtime, Batman!

In a sleepy-looking neighborhood under a dusky cerulean sky, a young, brown-haired, white boy goes through the motions of getting ready for bed: he brushes his teeth, takes a bath, picks up his toys, and feeds his fish. In a parallel visual narrative, beckoned by the cat's-eye–yellow bat-signal, Batman keeps Gotham safe for another night by catching crooks, locking them away, and avenging those who have been wronged. Though the two characters are quite different, through a carefully flexible narrative, Dahl and Beavers weave a convincing tale of just how similar they might be. “It’s time to take care of business” describes the child’s trip to the potty and Batman’s dive down a manhole equally well, for instance. Beavers' art is visually striking and vibrantly hued, perfect for keeping young eyes glued to each page. Dahl's economical text is cadenced with a gentle lilt, just right for a bedtime read-aloud. Young fans of the caped crusader will delight in spying their favorite characters. In the already-overstuffed bedtime-book market, this is certainly a niche read, but it hits its mark well, delivering fun without darkness. A “bedtime checklist” at the end aptly includes “story time.”

This should send Dark Knight fans flying to the Batcave—or the bedroom. (Picture book. 3-8)

Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-62370-732-3

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Capstone Young Readers

Review Posted Online: May 13, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016

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CINDERELLA

From the Once Upon a World series

A nice but not requisite purchase.

A retelling of the classic fairy tale in board-book format and with a Mexican setting.

Though simplified for a younger audience, the text still relates the well-known tale: mean-spirited stepmother, spoiled stepsisters, overworked Cinderella, fairy godmother, glass slipper, charming prince, and, of course, happily-ever-after. What gives this book its flavor is the artwork. Within its Mexican setting, the characters are olive-skinned and dark-haired. Cultural references abound, as when a messenger comes carrying a banner announcing a “FIESTA” in beautiful papel picado. Cinderella is the picture of beauty, with her hair up in ribbons and flowers and her typically Mexican many-layered white dress. The companion volume, Snow White, set in Japan and illustrated by Misa Saburi, follows the same format. The simplified text tells the story of the beautiful princess sent to the forest by her wicked stepmother to be “done away with,” the dwarves that take her in, and, eventually, the happily-ever-after ending. Here too, what gives the book its flavor is the artwork. The characters wear traditional clothing, and the dwarves’ house has the requisite shoji screens, tatami mats and cherry blossoms in the garden. The puzzling question is, why the board-book presentation? Though the text is simplified, it’s still beyond the board-book audience, and the illustrations deserve full-size books.

A nice but not requisite purchase. (Board book/fairy tale. 3-5)

Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-4814-7915-8

Page Count: 24

Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017

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